Cellular filler for cartons



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INVENTOR. WILLIAM H. INMAN d Ill lull FIIIiIIIIIIIIII-Illll.v x

1957 w. H. INMAN CELLULAR FILLER FOR CARTONS Feb Filed Sept. 11, 1953 HIS ATTORNQ Feb. 26, w [NMAN CELLULAR FILLER FOR CARTONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Sept. 11, 1953 NVENTOR. WILLIAM H. INMAN I'IIS ATTORNEY CELLULAR FILLER FOR CARTONS William H. Inman, Newark, N. Y., assignor to Bloomer Bros. Company, Newark, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 11, 1953, Serial No. 379,607

10 Claims. (Cl. 217-23) This invention relates to cellular fillers for cartons made of cardboard or other sheet material and adapted to contain food materials such, for example, as ice cream and the like. One object of the invention is to provide a filler of this character having an improved and more convenient construction in which the walls of the individual cells are detachably connected so that they may be readily separated to open the cells successively for removing the contents thereof.

Another object is to provide a separable filler of the above character adapted to be collapsed into flat shape for storage and transportation and to be quickly erected for insertion in a carton.

A further object is to provide a filler having the above advantages in a one-piece type of construction adapted to be readily and economically manufactured.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sheet of stock cut and scored for separation and folding to form a plurality of filler units embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a pair of blanks separated from the sheet of Fig. 1 and glued and folded about two lines;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blanks of Fig. 2 with the second folded parts pressed and glued in place;

Fig. 4 shows the blanks of Fig. 2 completely folded and glued;

Fig. 5 shows one complete filler unit detached from the blanks of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the detached unit of Fig. 5 partially erected;

Fig. 7 shows the unit of Fig. 6 completely erected ready for insertion in a carton;

Fig. 8 shows the unit of Fig. 7 in a container or carton;

Fig. 9 is a partial view of one of the units removed from the carton and with one cell pulled open to expose its contents;

Fig. 10 is a partial view of the unit with a second cell pulled open, and

Fig. 11 is a partial view of the unit with a third cell pulled open.

It is to be understood that where a slit line is referred to, the blank is completely or substantially cut through by a slit, preferably interrupted by spaced frangible webs along the line as indicated, in such a manner that the blank may be readily torn and separated along the line. Score lines are lines along which the blank is so scored or partially cut as to be readily and easily foldable without separation.

A filler embodying the present invention and herein disclosed by way of illustration, is preferably made from a sheet or web of paper board stock 20, which may be of indefinite length, with its lateral edges cut to form a nited States Patent 0 2,782,951 Patented Feb. 26, 1957 series of trapezoidal tabs or flaps as shown at 21 and 21a. Sheet 20 is scored longitudinally by parallel lines 24 to 31, inclusive, to facilitate folding along these lines. Score lines are placed at 22, 23, 23a and 33, as shown to prevent peeling of the paper board, and deep indentations are made at 32 and 34 to facilitate the outward bending of tabs 21 and 21a so that they may be more easily grasped when the filler is completed, all as will be more fully discussed below.

Sheet 20 is slit at right angles to the above mentioned lines along line 35, this slit extending from the left edge of the sheet to the point where line 35 intersects line 29, at point 36. Line 35 is a score line from point 36 to point 37, where it intersects line 30. The remaining portion of line 35, from point 37 to the right edge of the sheet comprises a slit.

A second slit line 38 extends completely across the sheet parallel to line 35.

In this manner, the entire sheet is divided into strips or sections by slit lines, such as 35a and 38a parallel to lines 35 and 38, alternate slit lines being interrupted by a section of scored line between lines 29 and 30, in the manner of line 35.

For convenient folding and gluing, sheet 20 is preferably torn into smaller sections, along line 38a, to form sheets comprising four strips, or two blanks which are together folded and glued as shown generally at 19 in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. This double blank 19 is then shipped to the user in this collapsed form. The user may then separate double blank 19 into single blanks 18 as shown in Fig. 5, for erection and use as will be more fully discussed below.

After separation from sheet 20, as stated above, double blank 19 is fed through a gluing machine of known construction to apply a thin band of glue or other adhesive as shown at 39, Fig. l, by a glue roller in a manner well understood in the art. Double blank 19 is then folded about line 28, the left end of the blank being brought over the right portion (Fig. 2). At the same time the double blank is folded in the reverse direction about line 25 at approximately a angle, so that the portion of the blank between line 25 and its left edge form a plane substantially perpendicular to the rest of the blank, as shown in Fig. 2.

While double blank 19 is in this position, two bands of glue are applied at 40 and 41, as shown in Fig. 2, glue bands 40 and 41 being relatively wider and heavier than glue band 39, for reasons that will appear below.

The strip of double blank 19 between line 25 and the left end, which had been held in a substantially vertical plane while glue bands 40 and 41 were being applied as described above, is then pressed fiat in a horizontal plane so that it contacts glue band 40, assuming the position as shown in Fig. 3.

In the next step, the right portion of double blank 19 is folded about line 30 so that glue band 41 comes down closely adjacent to line 24, as shown in Fig. 4. This completes the folding and gluing operation, and the folded blank is ready for storage or shipment to the user in a flat, compact form.

Before using, double blank 19 is preferably separated along slit line 38 to separate it into two blanks of two strips each, one of such blanks being shown in still collapsed condition in Fig. 5 and this blank of two strips constitutes the final unit form in which the filler is erected and filled. The two strips of this unit (Fig. 5) are divided by the partially slit line 35, and the strips are bent about this line to separate them from each other .at the slit portions of this line and fold or hinge them on each other about its scored portion as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. That is, this folding action will tear the blank along all points of line 35 with the exception of the scored portion of the 'line between points 36 and 37 as mentioned above. This will divide the blank into two strips, foldably-connected along the scored portion of line 35 described above. The two strips may then be expanded or erected by exerting slight compressive pressure against each end of the unit, at edges 28and 30 as shown in Fig. 6, forming a cellular structure containing six cells, as shown in Fig. 7. This structure is adapted to be inserted, either alone, or with one or more similar structures, in a suitable outer carton 48 as shown in Fig. 8, to divide said carton into equal compartments 42 to 47, inclusive.

ln use, the cellular structure is expanded as described above and set into a carton adapted, for example, to hold ice cream. The ice cream is then inserted while in a soft or paste-like state and frozen in place, as is well understood in the art. The result is a package of bulk ice cream conveniently pre-divided into suitable individual portions.

When this package of ice cream is opened by the consumer, the entire filled cellular structure may be easily and conveniently removed from outer container 48 as a unit. Although the ice cream comes in contact with the bottom of container 48, it does not touch the side walls of said container, and can be readily removed therefrom. Individual portions of ice cream may then be removed from the respective compartments of the cellular structure as described below.

Compartment .42 is opened first by grasping tab 21 (Fig. 9) and pulling it outwardly, away from the body portion of the cell structure, detaching glued joint 41, and rotating tab 21 and its attached section of wall outwardly about edge 31 as shown. This will allow the contents of compartment 42 to be easily removed. The next compartment 44 is opened by grasping tab 21a and pulling it outwardly away from the body portion of the structure. Since joint 39 is relatively weaker than joint 40, having been more lightly glued, the outward force applied to tab 21a will detach weak joint 39 rather than the relatively stronger joint 40, rotating the entire cell 43 and the front panel of cell 44 about edge 28 as shown in Fig. 10.

The third compartment 43 may then be opened by further pulling on tab 21a, tearing open the relatively strongly glued joint 40, thus rotating tab 21a and its attached panel about line 24 as shown in Fig. ll.

The three remaining compartments 45, 4.6, and 47, may then be opened in like manner by pulling their respective tabs.

When glued paper board surfaces are torn apart in the manner described above, it often happens that instead of coming apart cleanly, the surface layers of paper will adhere to the glue and peeloff in a ribbon like manner. However, as is well known in the art, if the surface of the paper board is interrupted by a scored line substantially perpendicular to the direction of peeling, the surface ribbon of paper board will break at this point and stop the peeling action. For this reason, score lines 22, 23, 23a, and 33 are provided to stop any possible peeling when glue joints 39, 40, and 41 are torn.

It will thus be seen that the invention accornplishes its objects. The one-piece blank may be readily and economically folded and glued on standard machinery to form a fiat, erectable structure, which may be conveniently set up without the use of tools or fixtures. In addition, this invention affords an extremely convenient and attractive package for ice cream or similar food products. Each individual cell may be opened successively by the consumer, without soiling his hands or touching the food itself, and the contents thereof removed. In the case of ice cream, or other frozen food, individual portions may be removed without thawing or softening the entire contents of the package.

While the principles of the invention have been dis- 4 closed by reference to a preferred embodiment which has been found advantageous in use, it is to be understood that various modifications are contemplated in the particular construction and arrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cellular filler for cartons and the like comprising an elongated strip of sheet material folded to enclose a row of separate cells, said strip having a body section, an end section at one end of said body section folded to provide portions extending alternately in directions normal to and parallel with said body section and forming adjacent cells of said row, said end section having a terminal flap extending externally of and detachably glued to a wall of one of said cells, and another end section at the opposite end of said body section folded to enclose another of said cells and having a terminal flap extending externally of and detachably glued to a wall of an adjoining cell, the terminal flaps of said end sections having portions extending freely from said cell walls and adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said sections and open said cells individually and successively for access to the contents thereof.

2. A cellular filler for cartons and the like comprising an elongated strip of sheet material folded to form a body section and opposite end sections, one of said end sections being folded successively in directions extending normal to and parallel with said body section to enclose a plurality of cells, said end section having a terminal flap extending externally of and detachably glued to a wall of one of said cells, the other of said sections being folded normally to and parallel with said body section to enclose another cell, said other section having a terminal flap extending externally of and detachably glued to a wall of an adjoining cell, the terminal flaps of said end sections having portions extending freely from said cell walls and adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said sections and open said cells individually and successively for access to the contents thereof. I

3. A cellular filler for cartons and the like comprising an elongated strip of sheet material folded to enclose a row of three separate cells, said strip having a lineally extending .body section folded at its ends to form opposite end sections, one of said end sections being folded successively in directions extending normal to and parallel with ,said body section to form in succession an end cell and the intermediate cell, said end section having a terminal flap extending externally of and detachably glued to a wall of said end cell, the other of said end sections being folded to enclose the opposite end cell and having a terminal flap extending externally of and detachably glued to a wall of said intermediate cell, the terminal flaps of said end sections having portions extending freely and accessibly from said cell walls and adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said sections and open said cells individually and successively for access to the contents thereof.

4. A cellular filler for cartons and the like comprising an elongated strip of sheet material folded to enclose a row of a plurality of separate cells, said strip having a lineally extending body section forming one side of each of said cells and folded at its ends to form opposite end sections, one of said end sections being folded successively in directions extending normal to and parallel with said body section to complete in succession the walls of an end cell and an intermediate'cell, said end section having a terminal flap extending externally of and detachably glued to a wall of said end cell, the other of said end sections being folded to enclose the opposite end cell and having a terminal flap extending externally of and detachably glued to a wall of an intermediate cell, the terminalflaps of said end sections having portions extending freely and accessibly from said cell walls and adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said sections and open said cells individually and successively for access to the contents thereof 5. A cellular filler for cartons and the like, comprising an elongated strip of sheet material scored and folded to enclose a row of separate cells, said strip having a body section, an end section at one end of said body section folded to provide portions extending alternately in directions normal to and parallel with said body section with parallel portions of said sections contacting one another and detachably glued together, and another end section at the opposite end of said body section folded to close one of said cells and detachably glued to a Wall of an adjoining cell, and said end sections having terminal flaps extending externally of said filler and freely therefrom and adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said sections and open said cells successively and .individually for access to the contents thereof.

6. A collapsible cellular filler for cartons and the like,

comprising an elongated strip of sheet material scored and folded to enclose a row of separate rectangular cells with intervening walls of single thickness and open ends, said strip having opposite end sections and an intermediate body section, said end sections being folded about transverse fold lines to provide portions extending in directions alternately normal to and parallel with said body section to enclose said cells therebetween, one of said end sections having an intermediate parallel portion thereof contacting and detachably glued to said body section, and said end sections having externally extending terminal parts detachably glued to adjacent cell walls and freely extending and externally accessible terminal flaps adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said sections and open said cells successively and individually for access to the contents thereof, said filler being collapsible to substantially flat shape by folding about the transverse fold lines of said end sections.

7. A cellular filler for cartons and the like, comprising an elongated strip of sheet material scored and folded to enclose a row of separate cells, said strip comprising body and end sections having portions extending alternately in normal and parallel relations with each other, one of said end sections having an intermediate parallel portion thereof contacting and detachably glued to said body section, and said end sections having externally extending terminal parts detachably glued to walls of said cells with freely extending and externally accessible terminal flaps adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said sections and open said cells for access to the contents thereof, said body section having a central longitudinal folding score line and said end sections having central longitudinal severance score lines connected with the ends of said folding score line and therewith dividing said filler in halves adapted to be partially separated and folded about said folding score line to form two parallel rows of cells.

8. A cellular filler for cartons and the like, comprising an elongated strip of sheet material scored and folded to enclose a row of separate cells, said strip having a body section, an end section at one end of said body section folded to provide portions extending alternately in directions normal to and parallel with said body section with parallel portions of said sections contacting one another and detachably glued together to enclose certain of said cells, said end section having a terminal portion thereof detachably glued to the outer surface of one of said cells, and another end section at the opposite end of said body section folded to close one of said cells and detachably glued to a wall of an adjoining cell,

said end sections having freely extending and externally accessible terminal flaps adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said end sections from each other and from said body section and open said cells for access to the contents thereof, said body section having a central longitudinal folding score line and said end sections having central longitudinal severance score lines connected with the ends of said folding score line and therewith dividing said filler in halves adapted to be partially sep arated and folded about said folding score line to form two parallel rows of cells. I

9. A cellular filler for cartons and the like, comprising an elongated strip of sheet material scored and folded to enclose a row of separate cells, said strip comprising body and end sections having portions extending alternately in normal and parallel relations with each other, one of said sections having an intermediate parallel portion thereof contacting and detachably glued to said body section, and said end sections having externally extending terminal parts detachably glued to walls of said cells with freely extending terminal and externally accessible flaps adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said sections and open said cells for access to the contents thereof, said body section having a central longitudinal folding score line and said end sections having central longitudinal severance score lines connected with the ends of said folding score line and therewith dividing said filler in halves adapted to be partially separated and folded about said folding score line to form two parallel rows of cells, said filler being collapsible to substantially fiat shape by folding about transverse fold lines of said end sections.

10. A cellular filler for cartons and the like, compris ing an elongated strip of sheet material scored and folded to enclose a row of separate cells, said strip having a body section, an end section at one end of said body section folded to provide portions extending alternately in directions normal to and parallel with said body section with intermediate portions of said sections contacting one another and detachably glued together to enclose certain of said cells, said end section having a terminal portion thereof detachably glued to the outer surface of one of said cells, and another end section at the opposite end of said body section folded to close one of said cells and detachably glued to a wall of an adjoining cell, said end sections having externally extending free terminal flaps adapted to be grasped and pulled to separate said end sections from each other and from said body section and open said cells for access to the contents thereof, said body section having a central longitudinal folding score line and said end sections having central longitudinal severance score lines connected with the ends of said folding score line and therewith dividing said filler in halves adapted to be partially separated and folded about said folding score line to form two parallel rows of cells, said filler being collapsible to substantially flat shape by folding about transverse fold lines of said end sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 137,791 Mueller Apr. 15, 1873 748,624 Lewis Jan. 5, 1904 2,121,564 Herron June 21, 1938 2,154,085 Bergstein Apr. 11, 1939 2,391,230 Dickerman Dec. 18, 1945 2,473,582 Goodwin June 21, 1949 2,693,297 Bolding Nov. 2, 1954 

